1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a novel serine threonine kinase receptor, ALK-7. In particular, the present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules coding for ALK-7; purified ALK-7 polypeptides; recombinant nucleic acid molecules; cells containing the recombinant nucleic acid molecules; antibodies having binding affinity specifically to ALK-7; hybridomas containing the antibodies; nucleic acid probes for the detection of ALK-7 nucleic acid; a method of detecting ALK-7 nucleic acids or polypeptides in a sample; and kits containing nucleic acid probes or antibodies. This invention further relates to bioassays using the nucleic acid sequence, receptor protein or antibodies of this invention to diagnose, assess, or prognose a mammal afflicted with neurodegenerative disease. Therapeutic uses for ALK-7 are also provided. This invention also relates to ligands, agonists, and antagonists of the ALK-7 receptor, and diagnostic and therapeutic uses thereof.
2. Background Information
Serine threonine kinase receptors are a family of growth factor signal transducers (He et al. (1993) Dev. Dyn. 196: 133-142). A series of serine threonine kinase receptors, activin receptor-like kinases 1-6 (ALK-1 to -6), have been previously identified (ten Dijke et al. (1993) Oncogene 8: 2879-2887; Franzen et al. (1993) Cell 75: 681-692; Ebner et al. (1993) Science 260: 1344: Matsuzaki et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268: 12719; He et al. (1993) Dev. Dyn. 196: 133-142; Attisano et al. (1993) Cell 75: 681-692; ten Dijke et al. (1994) Science 264: 101-104; WO 94/11502 published May 26, 1994). The present invention provides a novel serine threonine kinase receptor, ALK-7.